Ok this may seem weird at first, but hear me out..
Instead of 2 coasts, what if there was 3 regions.
If we gave the 250 class less prestige, it will encourage the top guys to move up to 450’s then hopefully we don’t have 30 year olds riding an easier division just cashing a check and still getting the same tv time as the 450’s
Let’s get ALL the top talent in the 450’s and make the 250’s much more appealing to privateers.
Your guys like grant harlan can drop down and be battling towards the front and getting on TV for a third of the series. This will also give 3x40 riders an opportunity to race on the big stage..
Then the 450’s will be all the top guys, less lappers, nobody rolling around in 20th and I genuinely believe there will be battles all over the track..
For what it’s worth, I like the idea of one 250 class and no coasts, but just throwing an idea out there..
The more I think of this, and guys staying down while they can, its probably about money. Change the money and everything else will change, imo. I dont even know what the money is but I would stay as long as I could if I made more money. Make 10th in 450 more than a podium in 250 for example. Or something.... i guess your solution would lesson tge money by way of fewer races. Interesting...as fans wed get subpar 250 races with less competition, but more access to privateers. I think i like it.
Of course it's about money and that's the reason why it shouldn't change. Why does everyone want to take good paying rides away? Sure, talk shit about RJ or max being old, but they're making a couple hundred grand a year racing. You think they get that paycheck on a mid pack 450 ride? Doubt it
That's exactly the problem, RJ should have Jerry Robins place in the 450 main for the same money he's getting now.
You are still going to have only X amount of guys on factory rides tho... Or?
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I'm on the side of the fence were I agree these old dudes need to move up to 450's, but at the same time they are beating the younger dudes. So..... do they need to move up bc of age or do they need to move up bc they are beating riders 10yrs younger than them? I ask myself the same question lol.
I guess I’m the only one fine how it is. The rules make it where it’s basically an open class unless you win a title then you have a year(or two in rare cases) to defend and then you’re moved up. I’m good with it.
This is the pinnacle of dirt bike racing- why are we worried about providing good jobs to the JR class? Its not a destination it’s a stepping stone for the best. Have the grit and talent and move and make the real money. If you make the Main you should make a min of $10k in 450s.
Do you guys no what guys in the Minors make?
Unclear point here, are you saying that Jerry should be making RJ money?
How do you force teams to pay midpack riders more though? That's the problem. They pay 250 riders good salaries because they get the TV time and exposure from winning races on live TV, and we throw a fit if we show a battle for 10th place on TV instead of the lead or a top rider tearing through the pack.
Answer that question and you fix the 250 class.
Isn't what you suggest pretty close to what MXGP is doing in a way? You get booted out of the MX2 to move to the premiere class, but there is not enough paying rides in the MXGP for the 15th place guy. I think a free 250 class like U.S. has is great. It's just smaller displacement, not a junior class.
Can’t compare Mx to baseball. Some minor league players make real good money. 10k for last place that would be nice but where does the money come from ? 100 k for a win bonus Honda has to sell over 100 bikes to recoup that money. Do you think ovr 100 450,s r sold in a week ? It might be the premier class but a 450 really doesn’t belong in sx. Still No load dead economy
One suggestion for a AMA rule change- If you have a wife and kid(s), you no longer qualify to race the 250 sx class... 🙃
What goals do you guys want to accomplish with a restructure? Do you want younger guys in the class, and older riders to move up? Do you want the pay to change so it makes riders want to go to 450 class sooner? Do you want all of the best riders on 250's, with no age or salary caps?
I just want both coasts combined for a real war in the 250 class for a REAL Supercross championship. Make the Futures, East/West and 3 rounds each with a finale at the final round.
They need the stock 250 class for slower (non factory - 250 guys). East / West 250’s, like the futures. Then have the 250 class, no limits on bikes or riders, 17 rounds just like the 450’s.
1. 250 stock classs (6 rounds west)(6 rounds east)
KTM’s50 can run the other 5 rounds
2. 250 SX (no point or age out)
3. 450 SX (pay-out triple what the 250's get)
If guys that have Grant Harlan’s speed are top 5 that would be a boring series. Nothing against Grant he is one wicked fast rider. He is just not top 5 fast. If the series is set up so guys like that can top 5 I doubt I would watch similar to why I don’t pay much attention to LCQ unless some top guys somehow get in them.
250sx salary cap or like listed above stock bikes for 250sx regional series. Who wants to race SX on stock bikes for low pay? If you don’t move up to 450s
Another point to add.
What are you guys trying to fix? Because obviously these older dudes you guys gripe about are better and faster than these younger dudes. So they get the rides to win titles.
By your thought process, why don’t all the 18 year old guys in the world become instant managers within companies? Is it because the older guys are in their way or is it because the older guys are better at their job but not to the level of a CEO so they don’t move on? The cream of the crop rise to the top positions no matter the discipline, plain and simple. You want the spot, beat the guy taking it from you.
I’m usually not for messing with the 250’s, but this is actually a great idea
Pit Row
No, the point is if a racer is going to be making that kind of money he should be contributing to the competitiveness of the premier class not camping out in the second tier class racing half the races and half the competition.
Really I just think 250sx should be a national class with a 3rd feeder class like others have said. If RJ and Max were racing against Deegan and JuJu for 17 races it would be a different story. The future increased pro minimum age and expansion of SMX NEXT can possibly lead to this.
Well it would be like saying that the 18 year old kid is getting paid the same as the ceo of the company 🤷♂️
I don’t think anyone wants to mess with the rules of the full series 250 class outdoors. Indoors the 250 class is a regional series meant for development. It should not be where dads are spending their time racing 18 year olds…
why change anything at all… why is everyone so concerned about the age of the riders in a PROFESSIONAL series. No one is keeping opportunities away from anyone, if the young riders were better than the older guys the teams would offer them a contract i assure you! Why do people with no vested interest in the business of racing feel the need to limit someone else’s opportunity and ability to earn a living for their families by forcing them out at an arbitrary age… that’s very confusing to me!
What are you guys going to do when the age goes from 16 to 18 to turn pro next year and the “kids” have two less years of earning potential. Not everyone is a Jett, RC, James, or MC.
I'm still not sure I understand why having professionals racing the 250 Pro class is a problem. I've been trying to figure it out for about 40 years now.
EDIT: ^ BVM111 said it right before I did!
I'm in the camp of everyone keeping their Dick beaters to themselves and leave the classes alone. i like it the way it is and shit doesn't need to change every year for the sake of change.
I think it used to be a feeder class but not anymore. 250 class now has high paid contracts for high level riders.
I remember Larry Ward on the podium in the 125 class in Seattle in 1988. Local privateer beats factory bikes for a podium. That feeling is long gone. A local privateer can't beat factory riders for a podium in the support class any more.
3rd place in 250W gets more airtime in 10 rounds than 6th place in 450 gets in 17 rounds. The fastest 10 riders that night aren't in the same class let alone on the track at the same time. Talent and sponsors chase the media coverage.
Anybody considering all these training facilities and the amount of good riders graduating on a regular basis - some with no rides because we have older guys defending a support class titles and clogging the pipeline 🤔They should be the ones bitching the most.
Anstie and RJ for example could be mixing it up with the 450s and prob not be getting lapped.
Right, that’s the problem!
It’s not a problem outdoors where it’s a full series. If you want 250SX to be a full series then agree keep it as is, high dollar contracts for the best riders. But to split the talent in which is supposed to be an entry level class just seems bush league
Why isn’t it just viewed as a different displacement class? They’re both professional classes. There were 125 specialists in the nationals and mxgp. The classes were prestigious.
There are 18 year olds making 7 and 8 figures, just not the ones making hourly wage
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